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FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS June 10, 2005 Deputy Assistant Secretary Iannicola Discusses U.S. Treasury's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Financial Education Dan Iannicola Jr. today spoke about American efforts to improve financial education at Canada's first-ever National Symposium on Financial Capability in Ottawa. He discussed U.S. financial education strategies and programs and commended the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada for facilitating the international dialogue. Also on the panel, which was entitled "Policies to Support Financial Capability: International Perspectives," were representatives of the United Kingdom's Financial Services Authority and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development which represents thirty countries and has relationships with seventy other countries. Iannicola said "America is making strides towards financial literacy, but we are not alone on that path. Today shows us that Canada, the United Kingdom and many other nations are also working to educate their people on managing their money." Panel members discussed the experiences of their home countries in trying to financially educate their citizens. They discussed what has been effective, what hasn't worked, and what their countries plan to do in the future. "When we engage in an international dialogue like this we receive as much as we share, and learn as much as we teach. The lessons we take from today will help us make more effective use of our financial education resources and do more for Americans back home," said Iannicola. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, Policy Research Initiative and Social and Enterprise Development Innovations worked in collaboration to establish the National Symposium on Financial Capability. The two-day National Symposium featured leading national and international experts and engaged government, non-profit and business sector representatives in discussions regarding the current state of policy and practice surrounding financial capability. The Department of the Treasury is a leader in promoting financial education. Treasury established the Office of Financial Education in May of 2002. The Office works to promote access to the financial education tools that can help all Americans make wiser choices in all areas of personal financial management, with a special emphasis on saving, credit management, home ownership and retirement planning. The Office also coordinates the efforts of the Financial Literacy and Education Commission, a group chaired by the Secretary of Treasury and composed of representatives from 20 federal departments, agencies and commissions, which works to improve financial literacy and education for people throughout the United States. For more information about the Office of Financial Education visit: www.treas.gov/financialeducation. |
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